Craft, Create & Celebrate

I’m Summer from Sumo’s Sweet Stuff, and I am so happy to be back here at Skip to My Lou. What an amazing series going on right now, right? Every year, I feel like it can be such a challenge to figure out what to give to neighbors and family friends. I was thinking about things that I enjoy, and that led me to Diet Coke and drinking it in goblets. Which then led me to creating a drawstring bottle bag to package up part of that gift.

Here’s what you’ll need to make one of your own, along with the fabric tissue paper:

- 1/2 yard each of two coordinating fabrics (lining and main fabric for bag)

- cording

- 1/4 yard fabric (tissue paper)

- 1/4 yard interfacing

- sewing machine/accessories

Whatever type of bottle you are going to be gifting is going to determine your measurements. I would measure the length of the bottle and then add 3-5 inches. Also measure the width and add 5-7 inches. You don’t want the bag to be tight! Instead of doing separate pieces for each side of the bag, I am doing one long piece that folds over. The measurements for my bag – for a 1.25 liter of Diet Coke – were 30″ x 10″. Cut one out of the lining fabric and one out of the main fabric.

Place the lining fabric and main fabric together with right sides facing.

Sew along the long sides and turn right side out. Press.

Fold over the short ends 1/4″, and then another 1″-1.5″. This will create the casing for the cording. Pin in place.

Sew along the bottom edge, back stitching at the beginning and end.

Now put the main fabric pieces facing each other. Sew along the long edges, back stitching at the beginning and end. Be sure to stop where the casing begins; you don’t want to sew that shut!

Looking good!

Cut the cording into two equal pieces. String one piece through both casings going the same direction. Put the opposite piece through the casing going the opposite direction. This is what allows it to cinch up nicely!

Now you’ve got a great little bag, perfect for delivering gifts in.

But most gift bags have tissue paper, so I thought it might dress it up a bit to have some fabric tissue paper. Go ahead and take the tissue paper fabric, and cut it to pieces that are the size of your liking. I just did two smaller rectangles. For each piece of tissue paper, you will need to cut one piece of fabric and one piece of interfacing. Again, I’m going to be folding over, so cut the length to double what you want it to be.

Iron the interfacing to the fabric.

Fold the fabric in half so that the short ends meet, right sides facing. Sew along all of the edges, leaving a 2-3 inch opening. Clip the corners, being careful not to clip the seams. Turn it right side out, fold in the fabric at the opening and press. Top stitch around all edges.

Stick the tissue paper in the bag, and you’ve got one good looking gift!

Pair the bottle with a couple of goblets. If you like, give them some sparkle using this tutorial.

Who wouldn’t want that?

And I promise you, Diet Coke is much more satisfying in a goblet. Try it, with whatever your beverage of choice is.

Thank you so much for letting me be here today. Enjoy your holiday season, and come on over to Sumo’s Sweet Stuff for more sewing fun!

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